Fighting intensifies in Syrian capital

Fighting has reportedly broken out near key government buildings in Syria as rebels battle government forces for control of the capital, Damascus.

Transcript

TONY JONES, PRESENTER: 24 hours after the bombing that killed Syria's defence minister and president Assad's brother-in-law, fighting has reportedly broken out near key government buildings as emboldened rebels battle government forces for control of the Syrian capital, Damascus.

Middle East correspondent Matt Brown reports.

MATT BROWN, REPORTER: Battles raged into the night in Damascus as government forces fought back against the rebels. The ongoing combat underlined doubts about president Bashar al-Assad's grip on power.

The rebels vowed to follow up on yesterday's bombing. They say they killed the defence minister and two other senior officials with two bombs, one in a packet of chocolates, another in a flower pot. They claim the bombs were planted by a bodyguard before the key regime figures assembled for a meeting.

ABDUL JABAR AL-AKAEDI, CHIEF OF THE REBEL MILITARY COUNCIL (voiceover translation): Soon we'll be at the Republican Palace because these heroes who were able to reach den of these criminals will reach, God willing, to the den of this criminal, Bashar al-Assad.

MATT BROWN: But the president's whereabouts are also uncertain. Opposition activists and Western diplomat say Bashar al-Assad has abandoned the capital for Latakia, his summer palace and a stronghold of his Alawite sect.

MOHAMMED BASSAM IMADI, SYRIAN NATIONAL COUNCIL: Bashar al-Assad is in a dilemma. He has been in a dilemma since the revolution started. He doesn't know what to do, he doesn't know how to behave and that's why we see so much brutality and we see so much confusion actually by - because no-one in his right mind would shell his own people and send aeroplanes to bombard cities and towns.

And now, I think he has one choice: to give up and leave the country, otherwise he will have the same destiny like Gaddafi.

MATT BROWN: As bodies littered some streets in Damascus, the head of the UN observer mission in Syria condemned the attack on Assad's inner circle.

ROBERT MOOD, HEAD OF MONITORING MISSIONG: I call on the parties to the end the bloodshed and violence in all its forms, recommitting to a peaceful solution to this conflict.

MATT BROWN: The mandate for the observer mission runs out tomorrow and Major-General Robert Mood is flying out to Geneva.

Russia and China won't agree to Western plans to renew the mandate under terms that could lead to serious sanctions or even military force if Syria fails to rein in the violence. And Major-General Mood says all sides in Syria must find a political, not military solution.

ROBERT MOOD: The mandate of UNSMIS will become relevant when the political process takes off. That is why any extension of the mission would come with a shift to a more political posture.

MOHAMMED BASSAM IMADI: Now, we know that there are so many diplomatic and political moves in the Security Council and elsewhere in many important countries, but let me tell you the truth: those people underground are those who are going to determine how it's going to end and who is going to be the leader or leaders of Syria.

MATT BROWN: For now, only ominous clouds foretell Syria's future.

Matt Brown, Lateline.

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